Slide switch with retraction features

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a slide switch for selectively connecting one of a plurality of circuit contacts with a bus bar. A feature of the present invention is the ability to provide an electrical contact which is raised and lowered into position in engagement on a selected one of the circuit contacts to make the desired electrical connection to the bus bar. Such raising and lowering action eliminates excessive rubbing of the contact over the circuit contacts and thus substantially eliminate undesired wearing of the circuit contacts.

United States Patent Lockard June 10, 1975 SLIDE SWITCH WITH RETRACTION 3,614,346 /1971 Gudaitis 200/16 D FEATURES 3,632,909 1/1962 Rowley 200/16 D 3,643,042 2/1972 Gratz 200/16 D [75] Inventor: Joseph Larue Lo kard, H g, 3,705,963 12/1972 King et a] 200 16 c Pa. 3,728,499 4/1973 Bang et a1 200/16 D X 3,737,594 6/1973 Rosmanith..... 200/16 D X [73] Asslgnee: AMP lnmrporated, Hamsburg, 3,772,483 11/1973 Flynn et al. 200/1 R [22] Filed: Sept. 5, 1974 Primary Examiner-James R. Scott [21] Appl 503406 Attorney, Agent, or FirmGerald K. Kita Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 366,926, June 4, 1973, [57] ABSTRACT abandoned The present invention relates to a slide switch for selectively connecting one of a plurality of circuit [52] Cl 200/16 ZOO/l6 3 34 contacts with a bus bar. A feature of the present invention is the ability to provide an electrical contact [511 f Cl 1 g zg fi i which is raised and lowered into position in engage- [5 8] F'eld of Search 1 i 60 1 2 ment on a selected one of the circuit contacts to make ZOO/l6 D, 17 ,24 2 ,2 2 3 the desired electrical connection to the bus bar. Such 4 327 raising and lowering action eliminates excessive rub- R f d bing of the contact over the circuit contacts and thus [5 6] e erences substantially eliminate undesired wearing of the circuit UNITED STATES PATENTS contacts 3,012,116 12/1961 Boylan et a1. 200/16RX 3,329,778 7/1967 Bedocs 200/16 0 11 Clam! 4 D'awmg l 92 T 84 f 4 92 28 3O j 3O 68 e2 66'\ e\ 48 S xwso PATENTEDJUN 10 1975 3 888 807 sum 1 SHEET v PATENTEDJUNJ 0 @915 SLIDE SWITCH WITH RETRACTION FEATURES This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 366,926, filed June 4, 1973, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a slide switch for connecting electrically one of a plurality of circuit paths or contacts with a bus bar. A selectively positioned contact of the switch engages both the bus bar and a selected circuit contact to be electrically connected to the bus bar. For example, the circuit contacts may be printed circuit paths or other discrete electrical conductors as desired. A manually adjustable carriage is utilized to selectively position the switch contact into engagement with a desired circuit contact. Asa feature of the present invention, the switch contact is raised and lowered into engagement on a selected circuit contact to eliminate excessive rubbing and consequent frictional wearing of the circuit contacts. The switch further includes a mechanism for-positively detenting the carriage in a selected position and thereby positively locate the carriage in a selected position for connecting the switch contact thereofto a selected circuit contact. As a further feature of the present invention, a single resilient spring is utilized both to positively detent the carriage in a selected position and to apply pressure on the switch contact when engagement with FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation in section of the switch illustrated in FIG. 2 illustrating another mode of operation thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan with parts broken away and in section illustrating the details of an assembled switch according to the present invention mounted on a printedcircuit board.

With more particular reference to the drawings there is illustrated in FIGS. 1 4 a switch generally illustrated at 1, comprising a dielectric housing 2 generally of elongated channel shape. The housing includes a bottom wall portion 4, opposed projecting sidewall portions 6 and 8, projecting from the bottom wall portion 4, and a pair of end walls and 12 which are unitary with the sidewalls 6, 8 and the bottom wall 4. At the intersection of the end wall 10 and the sidewall 8, there is provided an internal channel 12 which communia circuit contact toinsure a chatter-free electrical cona slide switch mechanism which is detented to a selected one ofa number of positions utilizing a single resilient spring to apply pressure on an electrical contact in engagement with a selected electrical contact or circuit, with the spring further providing a force for detenting the switch mechanism in a desired position.

Another object of the present invention is to providea manually actuable switch of simple construction with a minimum number of parts, utilizing a single spring to provide contact pressure and a detenting action which positively latches the switch contact in a selected one of a plurality'of available positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a slide switch wherein a carriage is slidably traversed within a housing, with a switch contact mounted on the carriage for electrically engaging a selected one of a plurality of circuit contacts or paths, and with the switch contact being transferred tov another selected position only by first lifting the switch contact fromthe circuit path to prevent excessive wiping action of the contact over the circuit contacts or paths, thereby eliminating inordinate wear of the circuit contacts or paths. Other objects and many attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon perusal of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged exploded perspective ofthe component parts of a switch according to the present invention, more particu'larly illustrating the construction of the switch utilizing a minimum number of parts; FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation in section illustrating the component parts of the switch according to the present invention assembled and mounted on a printed circuit board, the figure further illustrating one mode of operation of the switch;

cates with the interior cavity of the housing defined by the encircling walls 6, 8, 10 and 12. The channel 12 is enclosed by the housing wall 10 which is formed with a projecting rectangular portion 14. The inverted housing receives therein an elongated strip 16 of electrically conducting metal. The strip contact or conductor 16 is formed at one end thereof with a generally pointed portion 18 which is bent substantially out of the plane of the strip contact 16. The other end of the strip contact 16 is provided with a projecting tab 20, with a notch 22 separating the tab portion 20 from the remainder of the strip contact 16. As shown, the notch 22 has a pair of outwardly flaring sidewall margins 24 terminating in a generally rectangular notch portion 26. The strip contact 16 is inserted into the inverted housing 2 along the interior of the sidewall 8. The pointed end 18 is forcibly registered within the channel 12 communicating with the interior of the housing in order to wedgingly retain the strip contact 16 within the housing. The end wall 12 is received internally of the notch 22 in the strip 16, the flared sidewalls 24 guiding the end wall 12 i into registration wedgingly into the rectangular portion 26 of the notch 22. The strip contact 16 is therefore maintained internally of the housing extending in a direction longitudinally thereof, with the strip contact being gripped, with its bent end portion 18 wedged in the channel 12, and with the notched portion 22 thereof wedgingly receiving the end wall 12 of the housing. The tab portion 20 of the contact thus protrudes externally from the end wall 12 of the housing to provide a tab type electrical terminal to which any desired external electrical circuit may be connected. The housing 2 further includes in the inverted bottom wall 4 thereof, an elongated slot 28 which extends generally along the longitudinal dimension of the housing generally parallel to the contact strip 16. The slot 28 is further provided with a plurality of opposed notches some of which are illustrated at 30 for a purpose to be further described in detail.

The housing is further provided with a pair of integral mounting flanges 32 advantageously each provided with a mounting aperture 34.

The switch further includes a generally rectangular block or carriage of dielectric material illustrated generally at 36. The carriage is provided with opposed planar surfaces 38 and 40. The surface 38 is slidably received against the inner surface of the sidewall 6. The sidewall 40 is slidably received against the surface of the elongated contact strip 16. The sidewall 40 of the carriage 36 is provided with a generally T-shaped recess 42. A hook shaped portion 44 overlies a portion of the recess 42 and is slidably received against the contact strip 16. A .generally T-shaped electrical contact is illustrated generally at 46. The T-shaped contact includes a pair of oppositely projecting arms 48 and a stem portion 50, giving the contact its T-shaped configuration. When mounted on the carriage the contact 46 has its T-shaped configuration received in the corresponding T-shaped recess 42 provided in the sidewall 40 of the carriage. The hook shaped portion 44 overlies the end of the stem portion 50, with the arms 48 being bent or formed to extend in a bowed configuration outwardly from the carriage 36. Thus when the contact 46 is mounted on the carriage 36, the arms 48 thereof project outwardly toward the contact strip 16 and are compressed between the contact strip 16 and the carriage 36. The arms 48 thereby provide two-point electrical engagement of the contact 46 with the contact 16. The hook portion 44 overlies the stem portion 50 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, to retain the contact 46 in place on the carriage. The hook portion 44 also engages against the surface of the contact strip 16 to slidably support the carriage against the contact strip 16.

The under surface of carriage 36 is provided with a first projecting arcuate portion 52 over which the contact stem 50 is formed with a reversely curved portion 54. As shown in FIG. 3, the free end of the contact portion 50 is bifurcated and arcuately bent at 56 to provide a pair of electrical contact fingers. As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 36 is provided on its under surface thereof with a second protruding portion 58 adapted to be engaged against the bifurcated and arcuately bent fingers 56 when the fingers are resiliently deflected toward the carriage. The upper surface of the carriage 36 is provided with an elongated, generally rectangular shaft 60 of relatively thin cross-section which may be molded integral with the carriage 36. In addition the top surface of the carriage 36 is provided with a generally cylindrical recess 62 encircling the shaft 60. The recess 62 has a bottom wall 64 terminating short of the bottom surface of the carriage 36. A resilient coil spring, illustrated at 66 has one end thereof received against the bottom wall 64, when the spring is encirclably received over the shaft 60. When the carriage is mounted within the interior of the housing as described, the rectangular cross-section of shaft 60 is received slidably through the slot 28, with the elongated dimension of the shaft 60 being elongated in the direction of the length of the slot 28. The other end of the spring 66 engages a washer 68 slotted at 70 to receive the shaft 60 therethrough. The shaft 60 is further provided thereon with a protruding hook portion 72 which maybe molded integrally on the shaft 60 as shown.

A knob 74 is provided therethrough with a generally vertically extending aperture of relatively thin crosssection 76 for receiving therein the shaft 60. The relatively thin rectangular cross-section of the aperture 76 receives therein the complementary cross-section of the shaft 60 to prevent rotation of the knob 74 on the shaft. As further illustrated, the knob 74 is provided therein with a recess 78 which is generally wider than the relatively thin aperture 76. The recess 78 has a bottom wall 80 against which the hook shaped projection 72 registers against. In assembly, the shaft 60 is inserted into the aperture 76 of the knob 74, with the hook shaped portion 72 having an inclined projecting sidewall 82 which allows the knob 74 to be forcibly wedged over the inclined sidewall 82 until the hook shaped portion 72 is in registration internally of the recess 78. When this occurs, the hook shaped portion 72 will snap into place within the recess 78 thereby latching against the bottom wall and thereby securing the shaft internally of the knob 74. The spring 66 will be maintained in compression between the carriage 36 and the bottom wall 4 of the housing since the carriage is urged upwardly against the housing bottom wall 4 compressing the spring, when the shaft 60 is latched securely to the knob 74.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the housing 4 is mounted to a printed circuit board, for example, by mounting bolts 86 received through the apertures 34 of the flanges 32. The printed circuit board illustrated at 88 includes a plurality of printed circuits thereon in the form of electrically conducting circuit paths 90. Such circuits may be of the familiar circuit path or a pad type circuit area normally found on a printed circuit board. Although the circuits are illustrated as circuit paths, they may take any other form, such as pads, metal contacts mounted on the printed circuit board or any other type of electrical component normally found on printed circuit boards.

It is further contemplated that the printed circuit board 88 may be mounted directly to the inverted housing so as to form a cover for the housing and thereby become an integral part of the switch itself. The contact surfaces 90 thereof will thereby be contained internally of the housing, thereby enabling modification of the preferred embodiment as a selfcontained unit with all the circuit paths 90 being formed as part of the switch itself.

In the preferred embodiment, however, the housing 4 is devoid of any circuit paths therethrough, enabling it to be mounted to the printed circuit board 88. As shown in FIG. 2, with the housing thus mounted on the printed circuit board 88, the contact fingers 56 will engage against the printed circuit board 88. This will cause the contact fingers 56 to be resiliently deflected from their positions shown in FIG. 3 to their positions shown in FIG. 2, deflected into engagement against the projecting portion 58 of the carriage 36. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the contact fingers 56 will be maintained in compression between the printed circuit board 88 and the carriage 36, with the partially compressed resilient spring 66 further insuring compression of the carriage 36 on the spring fingers 66. In addition, the coil spring 66 further applies pressure on the contact portion 54 by forcibly urging the projecting portion 52 of the carriage into compression on the spring portion 54 between the printed circuit board 88 and the projecting portion 52. Thus, the coil spring 66 forcibly urges the carriage 36 toward the open side of the inverted housing toward the printed circuit board 88 in order to compress the spring fingers 56 and the contact portion 54 of the contact spring 50 into compression on the printed circuit board. It is advantageous that the contact fingers 56 and the contact portion 54 engage against a selected one of the printed circuit paths 90. Since the contact 50 also engages against the strip contact 16, contact 50 provides a bussing electrical connection between the selected circuit path 90 and the contact strip 16, which acts as a bussing contact for the circuit paths 90. Sufficient engagement pressure to insure electrical connection is maintained by the partially compressed coil spring 66 providing a compression force on the contact fingers and contact portion 54 sandwiched between the carriage and the selected printed circuit path 90. In addition, the bowed configurations of the arms 48 are in compression between the ca'rriage 36 and the contact strip l6 to insure sufficient engagement pressure of the contact 50 with the contact strip 16.

As a further feature of the invention, reference will be made to FIGS. 2 and 3, taken in conjunction with FIG. 1. The knob 74 is provided with a pair of integral depending projections 92 generally rectangular in cross-section. The projections 92 are spaced on either side of the shaft 60 which is received through the aperture 76 of the knobfThe projections 92 are of reduced size with respect to the bottom wall 84 of the knob so that they are freely received in corresponding notched portions 30 provided in the housingbottom wall 4 along either side of the slot 28. Thus as shown in FIG. 2, when the contact fingers 56 engage a selected circuit path 90, the projecting portions 92 will be received internally of the corresponding opposed pair of notch portions 30 provided in the housing bottom wall 4. Since the projecting portions 92 are spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the slot 28, they prevent the shaft 60 from being slidably traversed along the slot 28, and thereby detent or latch the shaft 60, together with the carriage 36, in a desired position within the housing and thereby accurately position the contact fingers 56 for engagement on a selected circuit path 90. when it is desired to move the contact fingers 56 from engagement to, another selected circuit path 90, the knob 74 must be lifted, in a direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, so as to remove the projecting portions 92 from the corresponding notch portions 30. This is accomplished by pulling the knob in a direction outwardly of the bottom wall 4, further compressing the coil spring 66 and thereby forcibly lifting the shaft 60 and retracting the carriage 36 from the open side of the housing as shown in FIG. 3. As the carriage 36 is urged upwardly as described, the compression of the projecting portions 58 and 52 on the contact portions 54 and spring fingers 56 becomes relieved. This allows the contact fingers 56 and contact portion 54 to become lifted or retractedwith the carriage so as to disengage the fingers from the selected circuit path 90. The arm portions 48 of the contact 50 will be allowed to slidably traverse upwardly along the vertical surface of the contact strip 16. Since the contact strip 16 is at right angles to the circuit paths 90, the contact strip 16 will not interfere with the vertical displacement of the carriage or the contact 50.

With the projecting portions 92 removed from the corresponding notches 30, the shaft 60 may be slidably traversed along the slot 28. This will traverse the carriage internally of thehousing 2 with the sidewalls 38 and 40 of the carriage slidably traversing along-the inner surfaces of the sidewalls 6 and 8 of the housing. The inner surfaces of the sidewalls 6 and 8, as well as the surfaces 38 and '40 are thereby sliding bearing surfaces. The rectangular configuration of the carriage engaging between the sidewalls 6 and 8 prevent turning of the carriage internally of the housing. In addition, since the-shaft 60 is a relativelythin rectangular configuration received in a relatively narrow slot 28, turning of the shaft 60 within the slot 28 is also prevented. The washer 68 will be compressed against the inner surface of the bottom wall f the housing and will be slidably traversed thereover. The bottom wall inner surface thereby provides a sliding bearing surface allowing for low friction displacement of the washer 68 thereover. The carriage may be displaced within the housing only when in its elevated or retracted position, as shown in FIG. 3. The contact fingers 56 and the contact portion 54 will thereby be lifted or retracted and thereby out of engagement with the printed circuit board 88 and the circuit paths 90 thereof. When the carriage is displaced to its desired position, the knob 74 is released to allow the compression spring 66 to elongate and thereby partially relax. The spring forcibly will displace the carriage 36 into compression against the contact fingers 56 and the reversely curved portion '54, pressing them into compressive engagement against another selected circuit path 90. The spring further will urge the projecting portions 92 of the knob 74 into registration with corresponding opposed notch portions 30 in order to detent or latch the carriage 36 in its desired position, thereby maintaining the contact fingers 56 and the contact portion 54 in engagement on the newly selected printed circuit path 90. Thus, a feature of the present invention prevents undesired scraping or wiping of the contact fingers and reversely curved contact portion 54 across the circuit board 88 and the circuit paths 90 thereof, to eliminate excessive wearing of the printed circuit board and the circuit paths 90. The contact fingers 56 and the contact portion 54 electrically engages the selected circuit paths 90 only upon lifting and lowering of the carriage 36 as described. Limited wiping action is permitted since, as the carriage is lowered into position, the contact fingers 56 will initially engage a selected circuit path 90 and will be resiliently deflected from its position shown in FIG. 3, to its position shown in FIG. 2, as the carriage is further lowered until the contact fingers 56 are resiliently deflected into engagement against the projecting portion 58 of the carriage 36. Such permitted resilient deflection of the contact fingers 56 produces a limited wiping action on the surface of the selected circuit path to provide a slight cleaning action to improve the electrical conduction therebetween.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and described, other embodiments and modifications thereof which are obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art are intended to be covered by the scope and spirit of the appended claims, wherein:

What is claimed is:

1. An switch, comprising:

a dielectric base member having an elongated slot and a series of notches spaced along said slot,

an elongated strip contact on said base member,

a carriage protruding through said slot,

an electrical terminal mounted on said carriage and in slidable engagement on said strip contact,

said base member having an open side,

a resilient spring in compression between said base member and said carriage and resiliently urging said carriage and said terminal to project toward said open side of said base and to establish an electrical terminal projecting toward said open side of said base,

said carriage being displaceable along said slot,

said carriage including a knob portion selectively positionable in registration within at least a selected one of said notches, I

said spring resiliently urging said knob portion into detenting engagement within said selected notch,

said knob portion and said carriage and said terminal being displaceable to compress resiliently said spring and also to disengage said knob portion from said selected notch and to retract said terminal from said open side of said base member,

said carriage being displaceable along said slot with said terminal being retracted from said open side of said base member and with said knob portion being disengaged from said series of notches.

2. A slide switch for mounting on a printed circuit board, comprising:

a housing provided with an elongated slot and a plurality of detents distributed along said slot,

an elongated strip contact in said housing parallel to said slot,

a carriage within said housing and slidably mounted along said slot,

an electrical terminal on said carriage in continuous slidable engagement on said strip contact,

said housing having an open side for registration over a plurality of circuit paths of a printed circuit board,

a resilient spring in resilient compression between said housing and said carriage for urging both said carriage and said terminal to project toward said open side of said housing enabling engagement of said electrical terminal on a selected circuit path of a printed circuit board,

said carriage having thereon latching means urged resiliently by said spring into registration with said detent means for detenting said carriage in a selected position along said slot and for detenting said electrical terminal in desired position along said strip contact, I 1

said carriage being displaceable to collapse resiliently said spring,

upon resilient collapse of said spring said latching means being disengageable from said detent means and said terminal being retractable into said housing for disengaging said terminal from a selected circuit path of the printed circuit board,

and said carriage being displaceable along said slot while said latching means is disengaged from said detent means and while said terminal is retracted into said housing.

3. A slide switch having a buss bar contact for connection selectively in turn to each of a plurality of external connection locations externally of the switch by a terminal contact of the switch being displaceable in turn to a plurality of said locations, comprising:

a housing provided with an elongated slot therein,

a plurality of detents provided in said housing and distributed along said slot,

an elongated buss bar contact on said housing ex tending parallel to said slot,

a carriage mounted in said housing and being displaceable along said slot to one of a plurality of selected locations,

latching means on said carriage for engagement in at least a selected one of said detents,

a terminal contact mounted on said switch and slidably engaged on said buss bar contact,

a spring resiliently in compression between said housing and said carriage and resiliently urging said latching means into registration within said selected one of said detents for latching said carriage at said selected location,

said spring further resiliently urging said terminal contact in a direction to project toward one side of said housing to establish at least one electrical connection at said one side of said housing at a location externally of said switch,

said carriage being displaceable to further resiliently compress said spring and to retract said terminal contact from said one side of said housing,

said spring being further resiliently compressible to disengage said latching means from said selected one of said detents and allow displacement of said carriage along said slot while said terminal contact remains retracted from said one side of said housing.

4. A switch, comprising:

a base member provided with an elongated slot and detents distributed along said slot,

a carriage protruding through said slot,

an elongated strip contact on said base member,

an electrical terminal contact carried on said carriage and in continuous slidable engagement on said strip contact,

latching means carried on said carriage,

said base member having attached thereto a member on which is provided a plurality of electrical circuits,

said carriage being displaceable along said slot for selective location adjacent at least a selected one of said detents,

a spring in compression between said base member and said carriage resiliently urging said latching means and said carriage in a direction seating said latching means in said selected detent and also urging said electrical terminal contact in said same direction for pressure engagement on a selected one of said circuits on said member which is attached to said base member,

said carriage being manually displaceable in a direction opposite to said first direction to compress further said spring and to disengage said latching means from said selected detent and to disengage said electrical terminal contact from said circuit provided on said member which is attached to said base member, and

said carriage being displaceable along said slot for selective location therealong while said latching means remains disengaged from said detents and while said electrical terminal contact remains disengaged from said member which is attached to said base member.

5. The structure as recited in claim 4, wherein, said detents comprise a plurality of notches in said base member and communicating with said slot,

said carriage having a portion thereof engageable in at least a selected one of said notches, and said carriage being displaceable in opposition to the resilient action of said spring to disengage said latching means from said selected one of said notches and thereby permit displacement of said carriage along said slot. 6. The structure as recited in claim 4, wherein, said terminal contact is compressed between said carriage and said electrical circuit provided on said member which is attached to said base member, thereby establishing said pressure engagement of said terminal contact on said selected circuit.

7. An switch having an electrical contact adapted for connection externally of said connector, comprising:

a housing provided with a slot,

an elongated contact in said housing,

a carriage mounted for displacement along said slot,

an electrical terminal on said carriage slidably engaged on said elongated contact,

said carriage being displaceable along said slot to locate said carriage in turn at a plurality of selected positions while said terminal remains engaged on said elongated contact,

said housing being provided with a plurality of detents defining said plurality of selected positions, latching means on said carriage for registration in said detents,

and a resilient spring in compression between said housing and said carriage urging said latching means in registration within at least a selected one of said detents to latch the carriage in a desired position along said slot,

said resilient spring further resiliently urging said terminal to project in a direction for establishing an electrical connection along one side of said houssaid spring being further resiliently compressible to retract said terminal within said housing and to disengage said latching means from said selected detent and allow displacement of said carriage along said slot.

8. The structure as recited in claim 7, wherein, said detents comprise a plurality of notches communicating with said slot, and

said latching means comprises a knob secured to said carriage and resiliently urged by said spring into registration within at least a selected one of said notches to latch the carriage in a desired position along said slot.

9. The structure as recited in claim 7, and further including:

a printed circuit board,

said housing having an open side mounted over the surface of said printed circuit board,

said spring urging said terminal to project toward said open side of said housing for engagement against said printed circuit board surface when said latching means is in registration within a selected detent, and

said spring being further compressible to disengage said knob from said selected notch and to disengage said terminal from said printed circuit board and allow displacement of said carriage along said slot.

10. An switch having a selectively positioned terminal in sliding engagement upon an elongated strip contact, comprising:

an elongated strip contact on said base member,

an electrical terminal on said carriage in slidable engagement on said strip contact,

latching means carried by said carriage,

5 a resilient member in resilient compression between said carriage and said base member and resiliently urging said carriage and said electrical terminal in a first direction to project said electrical terminal toward one side of said base member and to displace said latching means into registration within at least a selected portion of said series of detent means,

said carriage being manually displaceable to deflect resiliently said spring and to retract said terminal from said one side of said base member and to disengage said latching means from said series of detent means, and while said spring remains resiliently deflected, said carriage being selectively displaceable along said slot to selectively position said terminal at a desired location along said strip contact.

11. An switch having a selectively positioned terminal in sliding engagement on an elongated buss type electrical contact, comprising: i

a base member provided with a series of detents,

a carriage assembly,

means on said base member receiving said carriage assembly for displacement along said base memher,

an electrical terminal mounted on said carriage assembly and slidably engageable along said buss type electrical contact for location at a selected one of a plurality of positions,

resilient means continuously in compression between said base member and said carriage and resiliently urging said electrical terminal to project in a first direction toward one side of said base member when said terminal is located at one of said selected positions along said buss type electrical contact for establishing a pressure type electrical contact member projecting along said one side of said base member,

said resilient means further urging said carriage assembly to project in said first direction and into registration within at least a selected one of said detents and thereby detent said terminal in said selected one of said positions along said buss type electrical contact,

said carriage assembly together with said terminal being manually displaceable in a second direction opposite said first direction to further resiliently compress said spring and to disengage said carriage assembly from said selected one of said detents and to retract said terminal from said one side of said housing, and

said carriage thereby being displaceable manually along said base member with said spring being in further resilient compression to position said terminal selectively along said buss type electrical contact. 

1. An switch, comprising: a dielectric base member having an elongated slot and a series of notches spaced along said slot, an elongated strip contact on said base member, a carriage protruding through said slot, an electrical terminal mounted on said carriage and in slidable engagement on said strip contact, said base member having an open side, a resilient spring in compression between said base member and said carriage and resiliently urging said carriage and said terminal to project toward said open side of said base and to establish an electrical terminal projecting toward said open side of said base, said carriage being displaceable along said slot, said carriage including a knob portion selectively positionable in registration within at least a selected one of said notches, said spring resiliently urging said knob portion into detenting engagement within said selected notch, said knob portion and said carriage and said terminal being displaceable to compress resiliently said spring and also to disengage said knob portion from said selected notch and to retract said terminal from said open side of said base member, said carriage being displaceable along said slot with said terminal being retracted from said open side of said base member and with said knob portion being disengaged from said series of notches.
 2. A slide switch for mounting on a printed circuit board, comprising: a housing provided with an elongated slot and a plurality of detents distributed along said slot, an elongated strip contact in said housing parallel to said slot, a carriage within said housing and slidably mounted along said slot, an electrical terminal on said carriage in continuous slidable engagement on said strip contact, said housing having an open side for registration over a plurality of circuit paths of a printed circuit board, a resilient spring in resilient compression between said housing and said carriage for urging both said carriage and said terminal to project toward said open side of said housing enabling engagement of said electrical teRminal on a selected circuit path of a printed circuit board, said carriage having thereon latching means urged resiliently by said spring into registration with said detent means for detenting said carriage in a selected position along said slot and for detenting said electrical terminal in desired position along said strip contact, said carriage being displaceable to collapse resiliently said spring, upon resilient collapse of said spring said latching means being disengageable from said detent means and said terminal being retractable into said housing for disengaging said terminal from a selected circuit path of the printed circuit board, and said carriage being displaceable along said slot while said latching means is disengaged from said detent means and while said terminal is retracted into said housing.
 3. A slide switch having a buss bar contact for connection selectively in turn to each of a plurality of external connection locations externally of the switch by a terminal contact of the switch being displaceable in turn to a plurality of said locations, comprising: a housing provided with an elongated slot therein, a plurality of detents provided in said housing and distributed along said slot, an elongated buss bar contact on said housing extending parallel to said slot, a carriage mounted in said housing and being displaceable along said slot to one of a plurality of selected locations, latching means on said carriage for engagement in at least a selected one of said detents, a terminal contact mounted on said switch and slidably engaged on said buss bar contact, a spring resiliently in compression between said housing and said carriage and resiliently urging said latching means into registration within said selected one of said detents for latching said carriage at said selected location, said spring further resiliently urging said terminal contact in a direction to project toward one side of said housing to establish at least one electrical connection at said one side of said housing at a location externally of said switch, said carriage being displaceable to further resiliently compress said spring and to retract said terminal contact from said one side of said housing, said spring being further resiliently compressible to disengage said latching means from said selected one of said detents and allow displacement of said carriage along said slot while said terminal contact remains retracted from said one side of said housing.
 4. A switch, comprising: a base member provided with an elongated slot and detents distributed along said slot, a carriage protruding through said slot, an elongated strip contact on said base member, an electrical terminal contact carried on said carriage and in continuous slidable engagement on said strip contact, latching means carried on said carriage, said base member having attached thereto a member on which is provided a plurality of electrical circuits, said carriage being displaceable along said slot for selective location adjacent at least a selected one of said detents, a spring in compression between said base member and said carriage resiliently urging said latching means and said carriage in a direction seating said latching means in said selected detent and also urging said electrical terminal contact in said same direction for pressure engagement on a selected one of said circuits on said member which is attached to said base member, said carriage being manually displaceable in a direction opposite to said first direction to compress further said spring and to disengage said latching means from said selected detent and to disengage said electrical terminal contact from said circuit provided on said member which is attached to said base member, and said carriage being displaceable along said slot for selective location therealong while said latching means remains disengaged from said detents and whilE said electrical terminal contact remains disengaged from said member which is attached to said base member.
 5. The structure as recited in claim 4, wherein, said detents comprise a plurality of notches in said base member and communicating with said slot, said carriage having a portion thereof engageable in at least a selected one of said notches, and said carriage being displaceable in opposition to the resilient action of said spring to disengage said latching means from said selected one of said notches and thereby permit displacement of said carriage along said slot.
 6. The structure as recited in claim 4, wherein, said terminal contact is compressed between said carriage and said electrical circuit provided on said member which is attached to said base member, thereby establishing said pressure engagement of said terminal contact on said selected circuit.
 7. An switch having an electrical contact adapted for connection externally of said connector, comprising: a housing provided with a slot, an elongated contact in said housing, a carriage mounted for displacement along said slot, an electrical terminal on said carriage slidably engaged on said elongated contact, said carriage being displaceable along said slot to locate said carriage in turn at a plurality of selected positions while said terminal remains engaged on said elongated contact, said housing being provided with a plurality of detents defining said plurality of selected positions, latching means on said carriage for registration in said detents, and a resilient spring in compression between said housing and said carriage urging said latching means in registration within at least a selected one of said detents to latch the carriage in a desired position along said slot, said resilient spring further resiliently urging said terminal to project in a direction for establishing an electrical connection along one side of said housing, said spring being further resiliently compressible to retract said terminal within said housing and to disengage said latching means from said selected detent and allow displacement of said carriage along said slot.
 8. The structure as recited in claim 7, wherein, said detents comprise a plurality of notches communicating with said slot, and said latching means comprises a knob secured to said carriage and resiliently urged by said spring into registration within at least a selected one of said notches to latch the carriage in a desired position along said slot.
 9. The structure as recited in claim 7, and further including: a printed circuit board, said housing having an open side mounted over the surface of said printed circuit board, said spring urging said terminal to project toward said open side of said housing for engagement against said printed circuit board surface when said latching means is in registration within a selected detent, and said spring being further compressible to disengage said knob from said selected notch and to disengage said terminal from said printed circuit board and allow displacement of said carriage along said slot.
 10. An switch having a selectively positioned terminal in sliding engagement upon an elongated strip contact, comprising: a base member provided with a slot having a series of detent means distributed along said slot, a carriage protruding through said slot, an elongated strip contact on said base member, an electrical terminal on said carriage in slidable engagement on said strip contact, latching means carried by said carriage, a resilient member in resilient compression between said carriage and said base member and resiliently urging said carriage and said electrical terminal in a first direction to project said electrical terminal toward one side of said base member and to displace said latching means into registration within at least a selected portion of said series of detent means, said carriage beinG manually displaceable to deflect resiliently said spring and to retract said terminal from said one side of said base member and to disengage said latching means from said series of detent means, and while said spring remains resiliently deflected, said carriage being selectively displaceable along said slot to selectively position said terminal at a desired location along said strip contact.
 11. An switch having a selectively positioned terminal in sliding engagement on an elongated buss type electrical contact, comprising: a base member provided with a series of detents, a carriage assembly, means on said base member receiving said carriage assembly for displacement along said base member, an electrical terminal mounted on said carriage assembly and slidably engageable along said buss type electrical contact for location at a selected one of a plurality of positions, resilient means continuously in compression between said base member and said carriage and resiliently urging said electrical terminal to project in a first direction toward one side of said base member when said terminal is located at one of said selected positions along said buss type electrical contact for establishing a pressure type electrical contact member projecting along said one side of said base member, said resilient means further urging said carriage assembly to project in said first direction and into registration within at least a selected one of said detents and thereby detent said terminal in said selected one of said positions along said buss type electrical contact, said carriage assembly together with said terminal being manually displaceable in a second direction opposite said first direction to further resiliently compress said spring and to disengage said carriage assembly from said selected one of said detents and to retract said terminal from said one side of said housing, and said carriage thereby being displaceable manually along said base member with said spring being in further resilient compression to position said terminal selectively along said buss type electrical contact. 